Is this the end of the series? (Potential Spoiler)

I enjoyed the first book and continued on to book 2 because I wanted to see what happened.

I didn't enjoy book 2 as much as I enjoyed the original, but the plot was still able to keepy attention.

I moved on to book 3 thinking, as the title suggests, this would be where mankind confronts the First Born, but what I got was a lot of pointless dialogue and slow storytelling. The writing has drifted far away from that of the first book. Unlike book 1 (and even book2), I struggled to get through to the end, and only did so for the payoff of having concluded the series.

If you're reading this you're probably too deep in the series to quit now (something about curiosity and cats), but if you're reading comments on the entire series before digging into book 1, be warned, book 3 is a let down.

7 people found this helpful

The end to the Trilogy!

What did you love best about Firstborn?

The way the story all tied together. The three books are very different but the main message seemed to be the indomitable strength of the human spirit to never give up.

How would you have changed the story to make it more enjoyable?

Give it a happier ending? Then it wouldn't be the same book though, right?

What about John Lee’s performance did you like?

He is always wonderful, his nuances on different words and characters he portrays are certainly his greatest strengths.

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

The ending. Three women coming together, all I can say without being a spoiler.

Any additional comments?

Arthur C Clarke was able to take all of his works and tie them into this trilogy. The firstborn from 2001 and the space elevators from Fountains of Paradise and even a bit of Rama thrown in.
I am very happy I took the time to listen to this trilogy, it helps me to remember that maybe humans aren't the greatest things in the universe, but we may be the most tenacious!

4 people found this helpful

Really 'meh' ending...

I was hoping for a little bit better ending than that. No real resolution to any of the plot archs in the book. Feels like they got tired of writing and just decided to stamp a "The End" in the middle of the page. A real let down.

3 people found this helpful

Believable Time Travel and Aliens Great Books

The story starts with a reminiscing of 2001- A Space Odyssey and moves into a world of puzzles and paradoxes. Then folds neatly into a chronicle of mysterious aliens and an apocalypse threatening humankind. To comment on the story would give away the twists and turns of the plot, so I won’t, but all three books are worth owning. I encourage getting all three in the series.
One point of contention...as in most all space faring Sci-Fi books, Canada is conspicuous by its absence in this story. As a prominent space faring nation with long ties to NASA and the ESA, Canada contributes to the exploration in space as well as any other country and more. Canada is never really mentioned. Egypt, Sri Lanka and African nations are held up as more predominant in peaceful space exploration ...really? And Russia – always the “sort of” poor cousin that shows up family dinners. Maybe it’s a marketing decision for the U.S. audience.
Still a worthwhile series of audio books to have.

2 people found this helpful

Snooze fest implies more action than actually in book

I wanted to like this and really tried. I liked the whole idea and waited...and waited. Slower than molasses, drug out forever, and promises there is a big mystery to be revealed around every corner which never is. I work nights and zoom through books like lighting. Cannot recall last time I kept checking the time counter to see how much more time I had to get through. Narrator was fantastic though, only reason I stuck it out. But had I known ending was practically a 60’s TV show predictable ending I’d have not wasted my time. Should of known when there were only 15 reviews when I started and seemed to be mostly just avid followers of the author I should have waited. Read the book or watch paint dry...same experience.

1 person found this helpful

Intriguing

An excellent finale for the trilogy.

Let's be honest: If you followed the story so far, you might as well finish it.

1 person found this helpful

Good book

Excellent read. A little over my head with some of the scientific theories, but still an enjoyable read. Can't wait for the next book in the series.

1 person found this helpful

Fantastic Science Fiction

For fans of the genre this is great Science Fiction. Book one is the best entry in the trilogy, but the overall quality is consistent throughout. Sadly, Arthur C Clarke passed away shortly after this book was published and it leaves you on a bit of a ledge and definitely wanting more. Still I would strongly urge fans of Clarke's and Science Fiction in general to give this a shot. You wont be disappointed.

Story was lacking

The one thing I appreciated was that the narrator is good. But I found it lacking compared to the last two books. I was drawn to the interesting premise, but the way the series ended really let me down.

Boring

Very boring. Just bullied my way through it. So glad it’s off my list. Don’t waste your time.